Turkish rock is weird. Whether it's the psychedelic wanderings of
Erkin Koray or the wild-haired boogie of
Bunalim, the folks in Istanbul just have their own unique approach to rockin'.
Hardal, basically a footnote in Turkish rock history, have now had their debut album reissued by the indefatigable Shadoks label, and it's a worthy nugget of late-'70s prog. Had it been heard in the West at the time of its initial release in 1979, it would likely have seemed a little behind the times; there are plenty of stinging guitar leads and weird Theremin-like synths, and the rhythms are pretty pumping, but it sounds more like a product of the '60s, or early-'70s Krautrock, than the dawn of the '80s. Still, the female vocals on "Unuttum" are quite lovely, and those guitars (by Sukru Yuksel and
Cahit Kukul, for those who are curious) do really tear it up. The six-minute title track (which translates to "Where From? Where To?") is a drifting, psychedelic journey with electric piano backing a raw, soulful vocal and some fuzzed-out guitar soloing, plus a long and weird synth interlude in the middle. Other tracks, like "Zor" and "Baska" offer a melodic, poppy take on boogie, with more acid-fried six-string action and oddly smooth vocals. This is decidedly not for everyone, though fans of Turkish rock will doubtless enjoy it.